Classroom Procedures: Every Minute Counts
Absence From Class
There is lots of evidence that poor attendance and lack of effort has serious implications for later outcomes in a student's life. High school dropouts have been found to exhibit a history of negative behaviors, including high levels of absenteeism throughout their childhood, at higher rates than high school graduates.3
These differences in absentee rates were observed as early as kindergarten, and students who eventually dropped out of high school missed significantly more days of school in first grade than their peers who graduated from high school. In eighth grade, this pattern was even more apparent and, by ninth grade, attendance was shown to be a key indicator significantly correlated with high school graduation.4
The effects of lost school days build up one absence at a time on individual students. Missing multiple days in a row also worsens the situation by making the student feel overwhelmed with all of the make-up work that has compiled from all of his/her courses.
Any absence, whether excused or not, denies students the opportunity to learn in accordance with the school's instructional program.
3 Hickman, G.P., Bartholomew, M., and Mathwig, J. (2007). The Differential Development Trajectories of Rural High School Dropouts and Graduates: Executive Summary. Phoenix, AZ: The College of Teacher Education and Leadership at the Arizona State University at the West Campus.
4 Allensworth, E., and Easton, J.Q. (2005). The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation. Chicago: Consortium on Chicago School Research.
You should NEVER come back to school and ask... What did I miss?
If you are absent from class for any reason at all (SAL Activity, Late to school, Home Sick, Early Dismissal, Sports, Vacation, etc.), it is the students responsible to obtain any missed work or notes.
What should you do if you are absent from class:
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Review the Weekly Plans to see what the general plan was for that day.
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As soon as you can, check your Schoology Science folder and READ the "DAILY Plans" for the days you have missed. (usually there will be additional instructions there for those students that are not in class).
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Do what you can. Depending on the day that is missed, there might be things that you just simply can not do from home or you need help to understand before you begin.
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For example, 99% of all labs must be conducted in the safety of our Lab Area. If you miss a lab day you can not "do" the lab, but you can read through it and maybe answer the Pre-Lab questions.
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Or maybe you missed the Class discussion on how to Balance Chemical Equations. You might not be ready to try to attempt a practice problem on your own, but you can go to my website and watch the Notes presentation that you missed and any other suggested helpful videos, so you can come to school the next day with questions ready to ask me.
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Print out any worksheets you can from the day. (If you do not have access to a printer, extra copies will be available in my room.)
What should you do when you return to class:
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Check the Absent Binder (Located by the Turn in Bin). These binders will have any papers that you might have missed due to an absence.
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Ask someone at your table to explain what you missed.
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If class notes were given while you were out, go to The Unit Resource web page (under Student Resources) to watch the notes slideshow or Video.
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After watching the slideshow, you may then schedule a time to meet with me, to go over anything from the notes you still don't understand.
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3. Try to complete the missing work as quickly as possible to get back on track with the rest of the class.
*According to the school district policies, students have two days for every day they were absent to make-up, and turn in the work without a penalty. Very few exceptions will be made to this policy (IEP's, Medical excuses, etc.) Any work not turned in by the set date will be recorded as incomplete.
If you are in SAL, on a field trip, out for Preforming Arts practice or know that you will be missing science class on a certain day, you are still expected to report to my class IN THE MORNING BEFORE PERIOD ONE to turn in any assignment due that day and to pick up any work that you will be missing that day.
DO NOT INTERRUPT MY CLASS
just to pick up work that could have been picked up in the morning.
Late to Class
Just as being in school is important, getting to class ON-TIME is just as important. Late minutes can quickly add up to lots of missed instructional time and learning. For example, if a student is just one minute late to my class everyday for the entire year, they will have missed the equivalent of almost 4 1/2 classes of Science. Our science class will utilize every minute of class time. Some of our labs will take-up the entire period, and if you are late to class, your group will not have enough time to finish the data collection which means they will not be able to complete their assignment.
Time has been given to you for travel between classes. If you leave your class on time, there is no excuse why you should be late. BUT PLEASE REMEMBER, The clock does not dismiss you, the teacher does. Every teacher will always try to wrap things up just before the end of the class period, but on a few occasions I might need to finish a thought or sentence. (If you feel that because of these few extra seconds you will be late to your next class, then ask for a pass before you leave.)
DO NOT WALK TOWARD THE CLASSROOM DOOR
or
LEAVE THE CLASSROOM
UNTIL YOUR TEACHER HAS DISMISSED YOU!
If you come to class late and DO NOT have a pass, then:
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You will be issued a warning on your first tardy to class.
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The second unexcused tardy will result in a detention issued by the teacher and parents will be contacted through email.
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Chronic lateness (3 or more) will result in an office referral which could lead to a two hour after school or Saturday detention or other disciplinary action. Plus parents will be notified and could be required to attend with their child a Tardy/Attendance improvement plan meeting. These meetings can only occur before school at 7:20- 7:50.
This school year, our school will once again be using e-hallpass. Each student will be allowed to use the hall pass, unless it is being abused. (Examples of abuse include but are not limited to: The same student is leaving class each period everyday, student is gone for an extended period of time, student was found wondering the halls and not where he/she was suppose to be, using a Cell phone when they are out in the Halls with the pass, or caught in the bathrooms using an e-cigarette / JUUL.)
Hall Pass Usage
Any class time missed should be for true emergencies only. There are appropriate times to ask to go to the bathroom and other inappropriate times. Use your best judgement to ask during a time when you will miss the least amount of instruction.
ONLY ONE STUDENT WILL BE ALLOWED OUT AT A TIME.
To use the hall pass following these simple steps:
1) Ask First
No one is permitted to just walk out of my classroom without asking to leave first. Nine times out of ten, I will let you go. Occasionally I might ask you to wait until a more appropriate time during the period.
(Asking during the pre-lab instruction, or in the middle of a class discussion is an inappropriate time.) If you are unfamiliar with how to use and request permission with the e-hallpass system, please see me at the beginning of the year.
2) How to sign out the pass
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Open your Chromebook
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Go to the e-Hallpass or Classlink website and log in with your school Google account.
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Follow the directions and create your pass request.
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Raise your hand and wait for me to call on you.
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Inform me of your request.
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If it is an appropriate time, and no one else is out already with a pass, then I will approve your request.
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You may take the Hall Pass (Leave your phone) and you may leave.
3) return the pass & sign in
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Return the Hall Pass to its location.
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Return to your seat.
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Raise your hand to get my attention to make sure I saw that you have returned, so I can stop your pass.